YAKIMA, WA. -- A Yakima County judge ruled Friday to revoke criminally insane killer Phillip Paul's conditional release.
That means Paul will not be allowed to leave Eastern State Hospital and live in an outside, state-approve facility. He is allowed to leave for medical appointments, but will be accompanied by three guards at all times.
Prosecutors wanted Paul sent to Eastern State Hospital, but Paul's lawyers opposed it, saying he's been at Eastern State for more than 20 years.
Paul never formally took the stand in his own defense, but chatted with the judge, telling him, "I'm not a danger," "the system is holding me down," "the woman I killed wouldn't want me to rot away like this." and "Judge, it's a tough call, I understand your position."
Doctors who cared for Paul disagreed in their testimony -- some saying his conditional release should be revoked, others saying Paul's condition is stable.
Today's hearing was scheduled prior to when Paul escaped the custody of ESH guards while on a trip to the Spokane County Interstate Fair in September, forcing a statewide multi-agency manhunt. Paul was found on a rural road in Goldendale, Washington.
After 11:00 a.m., Imelda Borromeo, Paul's current psychiatrist, took the stand, testifying that Paul's condition is improving, and that he shows no signs of psychosis. She says she believes Paul could live outside Eastern State with structured medication, but anything otherwise would likely lead him to reoffend.
She also testified that Paul has been known to drink his own urine in the past to "calm his nerves" in what Paul called "urine therapy." Borromeo says Paul has also been known to stockpile his urine, but he hasn't noticed that behavior lately.
Dr. Joe Gondek, a forensic therapist at ESH, testified that Paul believes he is not mentally ill, but rather that he has a drug-induced psychosis.
However, earlier in the morning, Dr. J.R. Henry, Director of Forensics at ESH, testified that Paul's conditional release should be revoked, and that Paul has a lack of insight into his mental illness. Henry said the State should keep him at ESH since there is no other place for him.
Henry described Paul's mental condition as stable, but said he believed Paul is not taking his medication.
Paul was convicted of murdering a woman in Yakima County in 1987.
